1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system and method for browsing computer networks such as the World Wide Web (xe2x80x9cWebxe2x80x9d). More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for displaying a selected portion of a first computer display on the display of one or more second computers through a collaborative Web browsing session.
2. Related Art
The Internet is comprised of a vast number of world-wide interconnected computers and computer networks. These interconnected computers exchange information using various services such as electronic mail (xe2x80x9cemailxe2x80x9d), Gopher, telnet, file transfer protocol (xe2x80x9cFTPxe2x80x9d), and the Web. The Web allows a computer that is connected to the Internet to access data that is stored on other interconnected computers. The data available on these interconnected computers is divided up into segments that are colloquially referred to as xe2x80x9cWeb pages.xe2x80x9d The data collected together on a Web page is not restricted to a textual format. The data can be graphical, audio, moving picture, or any other compatible multi-media source. Users gain access to Web pages by using an application program known as a xe2x80x9cbrowser.xe2x80x9d Thus, an individual using a computer connected to the Internet can browse through various Web pages existing on computers around the world.
The ubiquitous nature of the Internet facilitates its use as a business tool. Accordingly, many Web pages are devoted to providing product marketing information and taking sales orders. Additionally, the Web can be used as a communication tool between a sales representative and a potential customer. For example, a collaborative Web browsing system can be used to allow a sales person to guide a potential customer through a predetermined set of Web pages that comprise a sales presentation. This is accomplished by allowing the sales person to control the potential customer""s Web browser. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,791 (xe2x80x9cthe ""791 patentxe2x80x9d), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The ""791 patent provides a collaborative Web browsing system and method for allowing a first computer connected to the Web to cause the browsers of one or more second computers simultaneously connected to the Web to display certain predetermined Web pages or presentation slides as directed by the first computer. The problem is that often it is desirable for the user of the first computer (xe2x80x9cPresenterxe2x80x9d) to be able to present to the one or more second computers (xe2x80x9cAttendeexe2x80x9d) images that are not part of the predetermined presentation.
For example, if the Presenter in a collaborative Web browsing session desired to answer a question from an Attendee by showing the Attendee an on-line manual reference, the Presenter would be unable to do so through the collaborative Web browsing session. In order for the Presenter to incorporate such a reference to an on-line manual into future sessions, the Presenter would have to create a Web page or a presentation slide of the particular on-line manual page and include that page or slide in the predetermined flow of the collaborative Web browsing session.
Another example of this problem arises when the Presenter desires to show the Attendee an application running on the first computer. To make such a presentation, the Presenter would be required to create slides or Web pages from static images of the application window prior to the collaborative Web browsing session. The Attendee would not be able to see the application running in real time. This can lead to interpretations by the Attendee of xe2x80x9csmoke and mirrorxe2x80x9d sales techniques and xe2x80x9cmock-upxe2x80x9d applications.
Yet another example of this problem is when the Presenter, during a collaborative Web browsing session, visits a Web site containing input fields. Perhaps the Presenter is demonstrating a loan calculator that is available on a particular Web page. As the Presenter enters information into fields of the loan calculator, it would be desirable to allow the Attendee to see the information entered by the Presenter prior to submission of the form. Currently, there is no way for the Attendee to see information entered by the Presenter.
Therefore, the problem in a collaborative Web browsing session is that the Attendee cannot see applications running on the Presenter""s computer or experience the application running on the Presenter""s computer in real time. Furthermore, the Attendee cannot see the completed input fields of a form prior to its submission by the Presenter. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to address these problems inherent in a collaborative Web browsing session.
As recognized by the present invention, it is desirable for the Presenter in a collaborative Web browsing session to be able to dynamically integrate the active window or a selected application window from the Presenter""s computer into the collaborative Web browsing session. Additionally, it is desirable for the Presenter to be able to transmit the entire display screen from the Presenter""s computer into the collaborative Web browsing session. Furthermore, it is desirable for the Presenter to be able to interject a selected portion of the display screen from the Presenter""s computer into the collaborative Web browsing session. This would allow the Presenter, for example, to demonstrate a local application, display a certain page of an on-line manual, or show the completed fields of a Web based loan application form. Thus, as recognized by the present invention, it is possible to provide a data structure on a computer readable medium that enables the Presenter in a collaborative Web browsing session to cause a region of the Presenter""s computer display to be dynamically integrated into the session.
Accordingly, an advantage of the present invention is that it provides a data structure on a computer readable medium that allows the Presenter of collaborative Web browsing session to integrate the active window from the Presenter""s computer display into the current session. It is also an advantage of the present invention to provide a data structure on computer readable medium that allows the Presenter of a collaborative Web browsing session to integrate a specifically selected window from the Presenter""s computer display into the current session. Another benefit of the present invention is that it provides a data structure on a computer readable medium that allows the Presenter of collaborative Web browsing session to integrate the entire display from the Presenter""s computer display into the current session. Yet another feature of the present invention is that it provides an easy-to-use and cost-effective system and method for a Presenter of collaborative Web browsing session to integrate a selected region of the Presenter""s computer display into the current session.
A computer program product includes a program means stored on a computer readable medium that is readable by a digital processing system. As intended by the present invention, the computer program product is realized in a machine component that causes the digital processing system to perform method steps to enable a first computer to direct the browser of one or more second computers. As further intended by the present invention, the computer program product is realized in a machine component that causes a region of a first computer""s display to appear on the display of one or more second computers participating in a collaborative Web browsing session. Stated differently, a machine component establishes a computer program product for performing method steps to enable a first computer to cause a second computer to display a selected region from the display of the first computer by transmitting an image of the region from the first computer to the second computer through a control site computer connected to the first and second computers via a computer network and a collaborative Web browsing session.
As disclosed in detail below, the present computer performable instructions include selecting the desired region on the display of a first computer, capturing the intended region from the display of the first computer, transmitting an image of the region to the control site computer, transmitting the image from the control site computer to one or more second computers, and then displaying the image on the display of the one or more second computers. In a preferred embodiment, the image is displayed in a separate window on the display of the one or more second computers. The computer program product is also disclosed in combination with the digital processing apparatus, and in further combination with the computer network.
In another aspect, a computer-implemented method is disclosed for allowing a first computer cause a region of the display of the first computer participating in a collaborative Web browsing session to appear on the display of one or more second computers participating in the same collaborative Web browsing session. The method includes selecting a region from the display of a first computer. In alternative embodiments, the region selected may be a specific window, the currently active window, a selected region, or the entire. display. The method also includes capturing the selected region of the display on the first computer. Additionally, the method includes transmitting an image of the region from the first computer to a control site computer that is connected to the first computer by a computer network and a collaborative Web browsing session. The method also includes transmitting the image from the control site computer to one or more second computers that are similarly connected to the control site computer by a computer network and a collaborative Web browsing session. In a preferred embodiment, the first, second, and control site computers are all connected to each other through the Internet. Finally, the method includes the one or more second computers displaying the image received from the first computer via the control site computer. In alternative embodiments, the image may appear in a separate window on the display of the one or more second computers or the image may appear in the window containing a previously displayed image from the first computer.
In still another aspect, a system is disclosed for allowing a first computer to cause a region of the display of the first computer to appear on the display of one or more second computers by transmitting an image of the desired region to the second computers through a control site computer connected to the first and second computers through a computer network and a collaborative Web browsing session. The system includes, at the first computer, a selector for selecting a region on the display of the first computer. A transmitter for transmitting an image of the region to a control site connected to the first computer by a computer network. At the one or more second computers, also connected to the control site computer by computer network, a requestor for requesting new images from the control site computer. At the control site, a second transmitter is provided for transmitting notification of new images to the one or more second computers. The second transmitter additionally transmits images to the one or more second computers. At the one or more second computers, a display is provided for displaying the image received from the control site on the display of the one or more second computers.